CVE-2024-47665 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 10/09/2024
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
i3c: mipi-i3c-hci: Error out instead on BUG_ON() in IBI DMA setup
Definitely condition dma_get_cache_alignment * defined value > 256 during driver initialization is not reason to BUG_ON(). Turn that to graceful error out with -EINVAL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-47665 resides within the Linux kernel's I3C subsystem, specifically in the mipi-i3c-hci driver component that handles the Host Controller Interface for the Mobile Industry Processor Interface 3C protocol. This protocol enables communication between mobile processors and peripheral devices through a standardized interface. The issue manifests during driver initialization when the system attempts to configure Interrupt Buffer Indirect (IBI) DMA setup operations, which are critical for handling asynchronous interrupts from peripheral devices in the I3C network.
The technical flaw occurs when the driver encounters a condition where dma_get_cache_alignment returns a value exceeding 256 bytes during the initialization phase. Previously, the kernel code implemented a BUG_ON() macro to handle this scenario, which would cause an immediate system panic and complete kernel termination. This approach is fundamentally flawed from a security and stability perspective as it transforms a recoverable configuration error into an unrecoverable system crash. The vulnerability represents a violation of proper error handling principles where the system should gracefully handle exceptional conditions rather than abruptly terminating execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability, as it creates a potential denial of service condition that could affect mobile devices and embedded systems relying on I3C communication protocols. When a device with I3C peripherals boots up or attempts to initialize I3C communication, the kernel may crash if the cache alignment value exceeds the expected threshold, rendering the device unusable until a reboot occurs. This vulnerability affects systems that utilize the MIPI I3C Host Controller Interface driver, particularly those implementing hardware configurations where cache alignment values might legitimately exceed 256 bytes.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-704, which deals with improper error handling in kernel space, and represents a classic example of inadequate input validation and error recovery mechanisms. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under privilege escalation and denial of service techniques, as an attacker could potentially exploit this condition to cause system crashes or potentially gain unauthorized access through system instability. The fix implemented addresses the root cause by replacing the BUG_ON() call with proper error code return -EINVAL, which allows the driver initialization to fail gracefully with an appropriate error code instead of causing a kernel panic. This approach follows the principle of fail-fast but fail-gracefully, ensuring that the system can continue operating while properly reporting the configuration issue.
The mitigation strategy involves updating the Linux kernel to a patched version that implements the corrected error handling mechanism. System administrators should prioritize applying this update to all devices running affected kernel versions, particularly mobile devices, embedded systems, and IoT devices that utilize I3C communication protocols. The fix demonstrates proper kernel development practices by ensuring that hardware configuration mismatches are handled through standard error propagation rather than system-wide crashes, which maintains system stability while providing clear error feedback for configuration issues. This vulnerability highlights the importance of robust error handling in kernel space where improper error management can lead to complete system compromise rather than just application-level failures.